The present invention relates to a device and method for trimming off the high spots in the pebble of the ice in a curling rink.
Curling is a sport in which players slide stones across a sheet of ice towards a target area. The condition of the ice is very important. The surface of the ice is treated both to obtain a specified degree of flatness and to obtain a surface texture referred to as pebbling.
The ice flatness specification for curling ice is +/−0.001″/5 ft. When pebble is applied to the ice sheet, the water droplets (pebble) do not freeze to a uniform height. Due to the contact area of the stone, the pebble that is higher will get crushed or smashed by the stone passing over top, causing the stone to run slower on the ice sheet. Trimming off the high spots of the pebble results in a uniform pebble with a clean surface, causing the stone to run at a uniform and constant speed. Adjustment of the angle of the blade on the trimming device determines how much of the pebble is trimmed off. A typical specification requires that two ounces of ice be removed from the pebble in treating a ten-foot-wide swath along the 145 foot length of the curling rink.